Surgical foot covering



9 LE ROY M. KING ET AL 1,980,436.. I

SURGICAL FOOT COVERING Filed Nov. 14. 1931 INVENTORS. Le/Po M K079 ATTORNEYS.

Patented I Nov. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 14, 1931, Serial No. 575,006

lclaim.

Our invention relates to a surgical stocking to be temporarily worn on a patients foot in order to prevent moisture from reaching the surgical dressing and medicated portions of the foot while the foot is immersed in or otherwise exposed to liquid. As a general rule, in the treatment of foot ailments the affected parts, and frequently the medicament applied thereto, as well as the dress- [0: ing with which the foot is covered, is of such nature that application of water thereto produces an undesired action on the affected parts, neutralizes the effect of the medicine, and destroys the usefulness of the dressing. For this reason heretofore the patient had, in order to keep liquid from reaching the dressing, etc., found bathing to be quite difficult even under the most favorable conditions, and as a result the patient in most instances has .to undergo the inconvengo ience of doing without a tub bath or shower except at protracted intervals. With the above in mind, it has been our object to provide a covering or stocking for the foot, which may readily be inserted thereover or withdrawn therefrom while the latter is fully covered with the medicine and dressing, and which when positioned on the foot may be secured in such manner as to absolutely prevent the admission of any liquid inside the covering and thus permit the patient to bathe at any time desired without the least danger to the foot or applied parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide a covering or stocking of the character described which while affording a water tight enclosure for the foot avoids the undue heating of the interior of the stocking and the consequent perspiring of the foot.

- A further object of the invention is to provide a stocking of the character described which is so constructed that when operatively disposed on the foot it will prevent the foot from slipping over a wet smooth surface such as in a bath tub.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Referring to said drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the covering It is to be of our invention as operatively positioned on a foot.

Figure 2 is a bottom 'view of the covering showing the non-slip construction.

Figure 3 is an eievational view of the covering in inoperative or collapsed form. I

Figure 4 is a plan view of the covering as shown. in Figure 3.

As illustrated in the drawing the protective covering 2 of our invention comprises a stockinglike body 3 preferably formed of gum rubber sheeting 4 molded or otherwise constructed in one piece and made waterproof throughout. The body is closed at all parts except at the top where the single opening 6 serves as a means of inserting into or withdrawing the patients foot from the body. The body is made large enough so that it may easily contain the foot when covered with all the dressing etc., and likewise to permit the ready insertion or withdrawal of the foot when so covered, the latter being facilitated by forming the middle or ankle receiving portion of the covering relatively wide as clearly shown in Figure 3. The ready insertion and withdrawal of the foot from the covering is also facilitated without undue size and ill shape of'the body by reason of the considerable flexibility and elasticity of the rubber sheeting. Particularly is the latter properties taken advantage of in the portion '7 of the covering near the opening 6 as it is desirable on the one hand to restrict the width at this portion in order to more easily effect a sealed joint with the foot as will be hereinafter more fully explained, and at the same time this portion of the covering may be more readily reached for stretching during the foot insertion or withdrawal operation.

For effecting the sealed joint between the covering and the foot as aforesaid, we preferably utilize one or more relatively wide elastic bands 13 which are arranged in the operative positioning of the covering to be strapped around the portion of the covering disposed about the calf of the foot. The bands 13 are designed to be held in loops 14 preferably formed of an elastic material like the sheeting 4 and permanently affixed to the covering portion 7. By means of a set of clasps l6 and 17 on each of the different ends of the band, said ends may be readily releasably secured together after the band has been positioned around the foot, and in order that the bands may be used for legs of one thickness or another, there are provided in lengthwise alignment on the band several of the clasps 17, any one of which the clasp 16 may engage.

In the use of the covering, to insert the same 2* a over the foot the portion '1 is usuallystretched transversely and held distended in order that the opening 8 will be sufliciently enlarged to readily permit the dressed foot to be inserted into the covering. After the foot has been fully inserted .theportion 7 is allowed to contract and the bands brought around and clasped together in stretched condition. With the rubber sheeting of portion? thus held by bothbands in firm engagement with the foot entirely around the same, an effective liquid tightclosure will be provided and the patient thus permitted to immerse the foot in water without any danger of the latter finding its way into the interior of the covering. It is to be noted that the sheeting is quite thin'so that should the sheeting by reasonof any slack form j any heat generatedwithin the covering may comfoot. 1

paratively readily pass through the sheeting and thereby prevent the creation of moisture within the covering due to excessive 'I'o permit the foot-to be removed from the coveringitisonlynecessarytounclaspthebands and then'hold'theportlon 7 distended.

r sao ae perspiration of the An important feature of the covering of our invention is that when disposed on the foot it will not readily slip over a wet smooth surface such as I of a bath tub or a shower floor. As will be clear from Figure 2 there is provided on the sole and heel portion of the covering a strip 18 formedwith webs 19 and having the exposed side 21 roughened or otherwise constructed to provide a non-skid surface.

We claim;

Inastockingofthe sheeting and having an opening for'the insertion or withdrawal of the foot, the portion of the body, arranged to contain the'ankle portion'of the foot being disproportionately relatively large and the portion of the body adjacent and defining the opening being disproportionately relatively small, a plurality of spaced substantially parallel extending elastic bands carried by the body and arranged" to encircle said last mentioned portion thereof when disposed about the foot, means to adjustably connect the ends of the bands, and a sole character described. a liquid-proof foot-conforming body made of rubber portion at the bottom of the body comprising a plurality of transversely extending strip po ions and having its outer side provided with a nonskid surface.

" LE ROY M. KING.

WALDO E. TOURNA'I'. 

